Warm, comforting and hearty, casseroles may be the ultimate family-friendly meal. After all, when it comes to preparing nightly meals at home, many look to easy-to-make all-in-one dishes, and casseroles fit the bill every time. They’re a cinch to pull off in a hurry, and most recipes yield extra servings that guarantee you leftovers for lunch or dinner tomorrow. Check out Food Network’s top-five casseroles below to find the most-satisfying comfort foods from The Pioneer Woman, Rachael, Giada and more Food Network chefs.

5. Chicken Spaghetti — For added taste and texture, Ree uses both white and dark shredded chicken, plus cream of mushroom soup and cheddar cheese, which promise decadent results. Click the play button on the video after the jump to watch Ree make it.

4. Sunny’s Tuna Noodle Casserole — The secret to Sunny’s timeless recipe is the mushroom-herb sauce she makes to coat the tuna, peas and pasta. It’s laced with Worcestershire and horseradish for subtle bite, and the thick texture is deliciously creamy and rich.

When it comes to red velvet, think beyond cakes and cupcakes. After all, you can now find red velvet ice cream and even red velvet tea in the grocery store. Inspired by this beloved flavor, the chefs in our Food Network Kitchen came up with five all-new red velvet recipes that are perfect for Valentine’s Day — or any day, really.

Whether you’re cooking for one, feeding a family of four or entertaining a crowd, preparing big-batch dishes is a good idea not only to ensure you don’t run out (especially if you’re entertaining guests), but also so that you’ll have enough left over to enjoy tomorrow. The secret to easy meals is having ready-to-go ingredients on hand, and that includes already-cooked dishes just looking to be reheated. So if you prepare a hearty stew or casserole one day, guarantee quick-fix lunches and easy dinners for the next few days by making a bit extra.

Bobby Flay‘s top-rated Eggplant Parmesan (pictured above) has leftovers built right into it, as this recipe feeds up to a whopping 12 people. Made with a simple red pepper-laced tomato sauce, crispy fried eggplant and layer after layer of creamy cheeses, this hearty Parmesan is the ultimate in Italian comfort food. After simmering the sauce for a bit, Bobby begins building the casserole, starting with a smear of sauce in the pan, then adding crispy fried eggplant, and a combination of mozzarella, Pecorino Romano and fontina cheeses before repeating the process and baking. It’s best to let the Parmesan sit for a few minutes after you’ve taken it out of the oven; this will help prevent the sauce and gooey cheeses from oozing out once you’ve sliced it.

The 2014 Winter Olympics are officially underway in Sochi, Russia, and even if you don’t have slope-side seats, you’ll still need some cozy meals to keep you warm while you watch the snowy events unfold on television. In the spirit of international competition, we’ve rounded up the top foods from the highest-medaling countries around the world to help you plan out an Olympics-ready menu. No matter who takes home the gold medal, you can be sure that these dishes are all winners. As a tribute to the home team, start off the opening ceremonies with Bobby’s all-American Perfect Burger, a blend of ground chuck and turkey that can be cooked on the grill or in a saute pan, making it the most-versatile way to cheer on the United States.

Why is it that so many comfort food classics start with a chicken in a pot? Chicken and dumplings is quite possibly the best cold-weather comfort food combination — thick, hearty stew married with fluffy, tender dumplings. There are two primary schools of thought when it comes to dumplings: dropped or rolled. Dumplings are essentially biscuits simmered in broth. The broth flavors the dumplings and the flour from the dumplings helps to thicken the stew.

My grandmother’s dumpling recipe was basically her recipe for biscuit dough rolled out and cut into strips. She started with a whole chicken and the entire process took a couple of hours; it was time-consuming. Frankly, when I am in need of comfort food, I often find my patience can wear a bit thin and I’m not into “time-consuming.”

Dumplings can be a bit tricky. It’s easy to wind up with heavy, pastelike dough balls. Ugh. There are recipes out there using canned biscuits, but with these easy-breezy dump-and-stir drop dumplings you can have wholesome, homemade, down-home comfort in a snap — made with ingredients you can pronounce. The secret is using warm milk. The heat expands and sets the flour so that the dumplings don’t as readily absorb the chicken stock in the stew.

I discovered risotto when I was 27 years old. Before that, my only experience of anything even remotely risotto-like came from a box or involved a can of cream of mushroom soup. For a time, I made it every week as a way to stretch leftovers.

Lately I’ve been trying to eat more whole grains and fewer things that are blindingly white. I thought this meant that I’d need to give up my risotto habit entirely, but I’ve discovered that white rice isn’t the only grain with which one can make a savory pudding that stretches the end of a roast chicken into a brand-new meal.

I’ve tried it with barley, wheat berries and even oat groats, but the grain that has come out on top is definitely farro. Though some people argue about what farro is exactly, most typically believe it’s the whole-grain version of cereal crops known as einkorn, emmer and spelt.

A risotto made with farro won’t be quite as creamy as one made with rice, but it is worth making nonetheless. I really enjoy the sturdiness and texture of the grain. Unlike traditional risottos, this version reheats beautifully (though sadly, that means there’s no need to make risotto cakes).

To us, nothing says Olympics like a pie on fire. On Friday, one of the most-epic torch relays in recent memory comes to an end at the opening ceremonies in Sochi, Russia. If you’re feeling inspired to follow along, here’s some food to set alight in the privacy of your own home.

Chicken got its crown as the darling of the dinner table for a reason. It’s lean, versatile and easy to cook, and it also lays the foundation for some of our favorite comforting recipes. Your mother’s chicken noodle fixes you up like nothing over the counter ever could, and a spicy Slow-Cooker Chicken Chili proves that comfort foods don’t have to be dull. Whether you’re cutting into a full chicken, nibbling it by the wing or taking in tender shreds with a spoon, these comforting chicken recipes are stick-to-your-ribs good.

This time, what’s comforting is what’s crunchy. Pat and Gina’s Oven-Fried Chicken skips the deep-fry dunk for a lighter dose of home-cooked goodness — without forsaking that vital crispy exterior. For another oven-baked main, Ina’s bright Lemon Chicken Breasts are boneless, but she keeps the skin intact for added flavor.

For this week’s Chopped Dinner Challenge, the chefs of Food Network Kitchen chose to feature the basket ingredient grapefruit. The goal of this challenge was to use the sweet-sour taste of the citrus fruit to its full advantage by pairing it with hearty salmon. Not only is grapefruit in season during winter, but it’s a great way to enjoy a bit of brightness during the dreary season — and it’s packed with vitamin C to fight off colds and flus. This Grapefruit-Honey Salmon is easy to put together, with only seven ingredients, and takes just 25 minutes in total. It’s a recipe your family is sure to appreciate for its sweetness and savoriness.

Whether it’s an after-school snack or a silky spoonful of dessert, vanilla pudding is always a sentimental treat that can instantly channel the flavors of childhood. To re-create this creamy comfort food from scratch, toss out the powdery boxed mix and whip up Food Network Kitchen’s old-fashioned Vanilla Pudding recipe that tastes just like Mom’s used to. Once you’ve whisked together this sweet bowl full of nostalgia, start experimenting with mix-ins to give your pudding a modern twist. From crushed cookies to ice cream-inspired candy combos, these imaginative additions only enhance the basic pudding, allowing the classic flavor to shine through.

Rocky Road Pudding: You won’t have to worry about this bowl of rocky road melting: Vanilla pudding stands in for the ice cream scoop but delivers the same classic flavors when mixed with semisweet chocolate chips, toasted walnuts and miniature marshmallows.